29 Jun 2015

When blacksmith
apprentice Fletcher discovers that he has the ability to summon demons
from another world, he travels to Adept Military Academy. There the
gifted are trained in the art of summoning. Fletcher is put through
grueling training as a battlemage to fight in the Hominum Empire’s war
against orcs. He must tread carefully while training alongside children
of powerful nobles. The power hungry, those seeking alliances, and the
fear of betrayal surround him. Fletcher finds himself caught in the
middle of powerful forces, with only his demon Ignatius for help.

As
the pieces on the board maneuver for supremacy, Fletcher must decide
where his loyalties lie. The fate of an empire is in his hands. The
Novice is the first in a trilogy about Fletcher, his demon Ignatius, and
the war against the Orcs.

I will elaborate but basically I can summarise this book in one sentence. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!What I loved the most was the world building and the great introduction to characters in this first book. For me, a great first book does both of those and really gets you sucked into the world and get invested in the characters, wanting them to win and do well. I was definitely both sucked in and invested in Fletcher. Although this story was very predictable, I did have a lot of questions that I NEED answering. I am dying to find out more about Fletcher and his past. I just know there is something the author is not telling me that I will no doubt find out in the next book(s).There is a lot of conflict and action in this first book but the one thing that I did notice was that I didn't notice any love interest of any kind. No relationship drama, old best friend that might become more for Fletcher. I actually found this to be refreshing considering the majority of the books that I have read recently (and in the past) usually always feature some kind of romance. I actually liked the fact that there was none of this in the first book. Without that, I was left to really concentrate on the world and the characters in it. That's not to say that there will be romance in the series (I hope there will be) but I haven't got a sense of it yet. There is a suspicion of a possibility but that is all it is, a suspicion. Another aspect of this book that I really enjoyed was the comedic side of Fletcher's interaction with his demon. Normally, I would think of a demon as a pretty horrific character but Fletcher's demon was more like a pet and it was really funny to see the both of them get to know each other and interact with each other. What a fantastic book that I would recommend to everyone! Even if this is not usually your style, give it a go you might just be surprised!

About the Author(from Goodreads)

Taran was born in London in
1990 and found a passion for reading at a very early age. His love for
stories developed into a desire to create his own during early
adolescence, beginning his first book at 9 years old.

Straight
after graduating with a First Class degree in Business Administration,
Taran was keen to explore a new avenue and get inside the publishing
world, landing an internship in Digital Sales at Penguin Random House,
from June to September 2013.

Thereafter, while taking time off to
travel, Taran began to write ‘Summoner’ in November 2013 at the age of
22, taking part in ‘Nanowrimo 2013’.

Thanks to Wattpad.com and
updating daily, its popularity dramatically increased, reaching over 3
million reads in less than six months.

After being featured by NBC News, Taran decided to launch his professional writing career and has never looked back.

His
SUMMONER trilogy will be published in Spring 2015 by Hodder Children’s
in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and British Commonwealth, Feiwel and
Friends (Macmillan) in the US and Canada, Heyne in Germany, Crown in
Taiwan, Planeta in the Spanish speaking world and Record in Brazil. Book
1 will be published by EKSMO in Russia, Ecliptic in Bulgaria and
Alpress in the Czech Republic.

28 Jun 2015

What a really great two weeks in books. Reading has been a bit slow for me lately, but as they say quality over quantity any day! I started off at the beginning finishing the Starcrossed series, which I was a bit disappointed with so I was in a bit of a book lull.. Then I went on to the Beast which I loved. It had a lot of action in it and the descriptions was written so beautifully I just could not put this down. I finished off the two weeks with Pieces of You which was a really heartbreaking read that left me with such an emotional book hangover it has taken me a while to pick up another book.

When seventeen-year-old
Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during
spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian
prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand
years of mummification.

And she really can't imagine being chosen
to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe to
find his brothers and complete a grand ceremony that will save mankind.

But
fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon,
must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an
evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world.

From New York Times
bestselling author Colleen Houck comes an epic adventure about two
star-crossed teens who must battle mythical forces and ancient curses on
a journey with more twists and turns than the Nile itself.

What I loved about this story...
This is such an emotional roller coaster of a book... Happy, sad, funny, heartbreaking... I actually read this book in one sitting mainly because the story was so engrossing I just couldn't pull myself away from it. How could so many bad things happen to one person and one family? With this story I got a great sense of family - sticking together through thick and thin.

This story was split into different time periods. You have from the moment Lucy and Luke first met and follow their story from the beginning in glimpses and you have present day.

Along with following Lucy and Luke you have different perspectives of the story in the present day. Obviously you have Lucy and Luke's perspective but you also have a couple of other perspectives and lives to follow, which I won't spoil you with that were interesting to follow and not at all confusing. For me this story was slow paced which was good considering the subject matter of the story. I felt that it gave plenty of time to absorb what was happening more that way.

What I was not fond of with this story...
I did find this story very predictable. Although there is a twist in this book I was kind of expecting it but that didn't affect the fact that I enjoyed reading this story.

19 Jun 2015

A
scrumptious pie. A long distance guy. 4th of July fireworks
guaranteed.

Lauren
Hauser has it all…nearly. With a shiny new job and sparkly new
engagement ring on her finger, the only thing she’s missing is her
gorgeous new fiancé by her side. Should she be worried? Jack’s
kisses are as sizzling as always and, sure, long distance is hard
but, she and Jack are solid, right?

Of
course the stress of planning a wedding—or not—is nothing
compared to the stress of baking an apple pie. Because it’s not
just any apple pie that Lauren must bake for the 4th of July contest;
it’s her grandmother’s famous, award-winning apple pie! Yet
Lauren is determined to make this pie her own and a little apple pie
should be no problem for the Hauser clan dessert queen…!

But
with her new job taking up so much time, a prize pie to perfect and
the growing distance between her and Jack, Lauren begins to wonder if
she can really have it all… Only one things for sure, there’ll be
fireworks this 4th of July!

Gina
Henning currently resides where bluebonnets line the highways in the
spring, but she prefers the rock flower anemone from under the sea.
Above the ocean's surface Gina likes to dance with her three boys and
travel to exotic places like the grocery store with her husband. Her
pooch Schatzi is a mix between German Shepherd and possibly pig. One
of Gina's favorite pastimes is running. She recently completed her
one-and-done marathon. At the end of the day her glass of wine is
always half-full.

If
you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?

Ooh,
this is a great question. But how do I answer it? There are so many
writers that I would love to co-author with. I’ve thought it would
be fun to exchange chapter for chapter and tell a story between two
different points of views, but to choose one in particular. I’m not
sure.

What
would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write?

Most
of my writing is done at night when my boys are in bed. If I write
during the day, then I go someplace where my boys can play either
outside or an indoor play area. There have been a few occasions,
where I was working on a deadline and my husband has taken our boys
camping so that I can write non-stop.

What
is the hardest part of the writing for you?

I
think making sure that I’m pushing the story forward and keeping in
mind of the conflict. This is always the top concern. While writing,
I always focus on the idea of making my readers feel something,
whether it be happiness, laughter, maybe even despair, and I
especially hope that they swoon.

When
and why did you first start writing?

I’ve
been writing since I was very young. I began my first book over
fifteen years ago, I was working in an office all alone and had quite
a bit of downtime. With this “extra” time, I began my first book
and let my imagination soar. I plotted out an exciting adventure and
with each word, I stepped further into this completely different
world. I could smell the ocean air and feel the sun on my skin. In
reality, I was crammed into a cluttered space with paint that was
peeling from the walls and a not so pleasant musty office smell. But,
writing this story took me to paradise.

How
did you come up with the idea for your book?

My
first published book How to
Bake the Perfect Pecan Pie,
came about from the idea of traveling by this pecan farm on the way
to see my mother. This story of this woman who had to get pecans from
this particular farm began to unravel in my mind and I jotted down
different aspects of the plot and wrote it out.

Are
you a big reader? If so what are you reading now?

Yes,
I love to read. I just finished the final installment of Kierney
Scott’s Crossing the Line
Series, such great books! I’m
currently finishing up Blame it
on the Fame by Tracie
Banister, I have read her other two books Twin
Piques and In
Need of Therapy and truly
enjoyed them both.

Do
you have any advice for aspiring writers?

My
advice would be to write everyday no matter what, whether it be as
simple as a text to a friend and to find a really great critique
partner.

18 Jun 2015

Demon possession has
swept through Glace's neighboring kingdom, turning humans into
hellhounds. These great, fanged wolves are wild, desperate, and hungry.
Only the sworn Hunters have kept them back for five long, bloody years.

At
the young age of fifteen, Belle LeClair became a Hunter. She no longer
remembers how many hounds she's killed, or how many friends she's
buried. Still, Belle leads the hunt till a tragedy forces her deep into
the dark kingdom. Her heart will be turned, her loyalty tested— and fate
will intervene.

Amid a backdrop of Steampunk inventions and a harsh winter landscape, The Beast is a re-imagining of the infamous love between a beauty and a beast.

What a great book one in the series, I can't wait to read more! This book is a version of Beauty and the Beast, which just happens to be my most favourite fairytale of all time, so I was so excited when I knew Lindsay was writing this and even more excited when I was able to read the description of the story. This story definately did not disappoint my expectations; not one bit! What I loved the most was the main character Belle. In most Beauty and the Beast style stories that I have come across, Belle is usually portrayed as a 'delicate' charactre who loves books. Well, right from the beginning I found out that this Belle has a lot more gumption to her. Certainly being the Hunter Captain made her someone to definately follow and listen to! The fact that this story started off with lots of action sucked me into the story straight away and I have to admit that I read this in two sittings (it would have been one sitting if I hadn't have had to have slept in between!).

This is such a great first book in a series I would highly recommend it, even to those of you who would not normally pick up a fairytale retelling story - this is a great one!

In this imaginative
escape into an enthralling new world, World Fantasy Award finalist Kate
Elliott begins a new trilogy with her debut young adult novel, weaving
an epic story of a girl struggling to do what she loves in a society
suffocated by rules of class and privilege.

Jessamy's life is a
balance between acting like an upper class Patron and dreaming of the
freedom of the Commoners. But at night she can be whomever she wants
when she sneaks out to train for The Fives, an intricate, multi-level
athletic competition that offers a chance for glory to the kingdom's
best competitors. Then Jes meets Kalliarkos, and an unlikely friendship
between a girl of mixed race and a Patron boy causes heads to turn. When
a scheming lord tears Jes's family apart, she'll have to test Kal's
loyalty and risk the vengeance of a powerful clan to save her mother and
sisters from certain death.

15 Jun 2015

Imagine a stifling hot
day, where the sun doesn't just beat down on your body, but also on your
enthusiasm, your spirit. Now, imagine the relief that is brought down
by a refreshing shower of cool rain.

All your agitation and
distress get washed down the drain in this shower, the same time that
your lowered spirits and suppressed laughter come barreling to the
surface. That relief, that comfort, that joy, is what Juliet has always
felt since she found Max.

Life has dealt her a good card. Max is all she has ever wanted, all she could have ever wanted.

What
she has failed to realize is that no rain lasts forever, no matter how
refreshing. And when it does, out comes the sun. With a vengeance.
Although feeble after the brief period for which it lay low, it
immediately resumes it's journey where it ultimately gets to shine
hotter than ever.

If there is no rain, there is no relief. If there is no joy, there is no laughter.

And if there is no Max, there is no Juliet.

So,
how is she to go on now that he is not there? Now that the eternity
that he promised to love her for has been mercilessly reduced to a bare
minimum?

She has lost him. Him, as well her love for the rain.

Now all alone, with just her memories of him, she trudges by, without really being involved in what they call, life.

That is until someone comes knocking on her door. Someone she has never met, but has a history with.

Starting over is never easy, but it is at least a little less difficult than being alone.

Should
she act on her impulse and let this stranger in? Or should she close
the door in his face, considering the role he has already played in her
once bright and thriving life?

1.
If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?

Ans.
If I could, then I would love to work with Sylvain Reynard. Because

a)
He's awesome

b)
He's awesome

and

c)
He's super freaking awesome

I
thought I had found the best story ever written when I read the
Gabriel's Inferno Trilogy. But The Florentine series had my heart in
my throat the entire time that I was reading The Prince and later,
The Raven. If truth be told, I have no idea how many times I re-read
The Raven before I had to pry it off my own fingers. It is THAT
good.

I
would love to get a chance to work with such a talented writer. I
want to see the art, beauty, scriptures and history the way he does.

And
now that the cover of The Shadow has been revealed, I can barely stop
myself from crossing off the days on my calendar before I'll be able
to get my hands on it.

2.
What would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you
write?

Ans
I usually wake up to the sound of my mother reciting a religious
prayer. After a big ass cup of coffee, I get my laptop to the living
room to write. I prefer the living room because it has an
unobstructed view of the street outside. I can see people walking by,
drivers zooming to and fro and the trees standing tall and proud
against the harsh sun. I love it!

3.
What is the hardest part of the writing for you?

Ans
Has to be the accents. I want to write in a manner where the readers
are able to decipher the nationality of a character even without me
having to specify that. Perhaps, not having traveled a lot, it is
something that doesn't come naturally to me. I need to work on it.
The same thing was suggested to me by Susan Wuthrich, an extremely
well gifted writer. She read my book and gave a few pointers for
improvement. One of them was refining the accents of my characters.

4.
When and why did you first start writing?

I
started writing during December last year. Writing is something I
have wanted to do ever since I discovered the joy a book can give. I
wanted to write my own stories and have people love them.

My
life wasn't going anywhere close to where I wanted it to go. Nothing
offered me solace or comfort or joy. Except books. Except writing. I
started by writing small articles and poems. And later went on to
write my debut novel.

5.
How did you come up with the idea for the book your book?

Ans. I
was actually in the process of writing a poem when I realized that it
could be changed into a short 5000 word story. I was almost finished
with it when I decided to let my friends read it before I wrapped it
up. They were of the opinion that it had the potential to be a full
fledged novel. I took their advice and worked on my characters, their
backgrounds, histories etc and turned it into my first self-published
book, Pluviophile.

6.
Are you a big reader? If so, what are you reading now?

I
am a voracious reader through and through. Even my blog is called
Lector Vorax, which is the Latin translation for Voracious Reader.

At
the moment, I am reading the first book in the trilogy, 'The Annals
of Lusiartha' by R. Ann Humpries. It's called Sedich.

7.
Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?

Ans.
Just believe in yourself. Remember that it is your dream. And you can
achieve it. Never stop believing that.

Below is the description to book 1 in this trilogy so as to avoid spoilers for those who have not read books 1 and 2.

How do you defy destiny?

Helen
Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how
different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as
Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert
journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by
dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women
weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with
Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the
leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout
history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she
realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod
powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her
and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.Published: 23rd May 2013Publisher: MacmillanAuthor Website: Click hereGoodreads : Click hereSeries or Stand-Alone: Book 3, Starcrossed TrilogySource: Owned

My Review

I was really sad when I came to reading this book. Books 1 and 2 were really good reads for me and I was really excited to find out what happens next but unfortunately for me I found the story really slow and the action taking too long to happen that I found as I was reading I was less and less excited about picking this book up and continuing with it. As I really enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy I kept going (although it did take me a while to get through) until the very last page. I liked the ending but the process of getting to the end was quite a bit of a struggle for me. I would have loved to have seen more action and more things going on. That being said, I really did enjoy the trilogy in the first two books and also enjoyed the ending of this book so it is worth a try to see whether this might be your thing. What I am taking away from reading this trilogy is that I loved the author's writing and I will be looking into what else she has written and definitely will be picking them up.

About the Author

Josephine Angelini is a
Massachusetts native and the youngest of eight siblings.

She graduated
from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in theater, with a
focus on the classics.

13 Jun 2015

I was really proud of completing two books this week considering how busy I still am. These first two books in the Starcrossed trilogy were a little bit on the slow side but I am really enjoying this story. I am about to start the third and final book Goddess so we'll see what happens next. I hope it is not as slow paced as the first two - I really need to read some fast paced action.......

As
a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves
those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can
join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One
day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for
auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her
instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long
before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too,
has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a
fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse
by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at
stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your
heart.

12 Jun 2015

Below is the description for book 1 in this trilogy, Starcrossed, to avoid spoilers for those who have not read book 1

How do you defy destiny?

Helen
Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how
different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as
Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert
journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by
dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women
weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with
Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the
leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout
history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she
realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod
powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her
and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

Obviously as this is book two in a series there is a lot that I cannot say here so as to avoid spoilers but what I enjoyed the most in this books it the plotline. There were so many twists and turns that definately left me guessing what was going to happen next and trying to figure out the 'bigger picture'

What I was not fond of with this book...A large part of this story is following the main character Helen as she embarks on something that I cannot say as it will spoil the story but I did feel that nearer the middle of this book it did drag but the start and the finish defiantely made up for the slow middle.

About the Author(From Goodreads)

Josephine Angelini is a
Massachusetts native and the youngest of eight siblings.

She graduated
from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in theater, with a
focus on the classics.

Nicolette’s awful
stepsisters call her “Mechanica” to demean her, but the nickname fits:
she learned to be an inventor at her mother’s knee. Her mom is gone now,
though, and the Steps have turned her into a servant in her own home.

But
on her sixteenth birthday, Nicolette discovers a secret workshop in the
cellar and begins to dare to imagine a new life for herself. Could the
mysterious books and tools hidden there—and the mechanical menagerie,
led by a tiny metal horse named Jules—be the key to escaping her dreary
existence? With a technological exposition and royal ball on the
horizon, the timing might just be perfect for Nicolette to earn her
freedom at last.

Gorgeous prose and themes of social justice and
family shine in this richly imagined Cinderella retelling about an
indomitable inventor who finds her prince . . . but realizes she doesn't
want a fairy tale happy ending after all.

8 Jun 2015

Helen
Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how
different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as
Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert
journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by
dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women
weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with
Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the
leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout
history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she
realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod
powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her
and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

What I loved about this book...What a great book 1 to this trilogy. What makes a great book 1 for me is great description and introduction to characters and situations and this book definitely did a fantastic job with that. You have the main character Helen who knows that there is something different about her but hasn't been able to quite pin down how different she was compared to her family and friends. There is a lot of back story yet to find out but the promise of really great secrets to learn (I hope) as the trilogy goes on. One thing that I was particularly concerned with when I started this book was the fact that I am not a great lover of greek mythology but the descriptionof this books sounded really good I knew I had to give it a try and I am glad that I did. For someone who does not know a great deal about greek mythology etc this book provided great background history and information about that. It did such a great job with it that I now am looking into reading more greek mythology books and understand a little bit more about it. This was such a fun easy to read story for those of you who wanted a to do a bit of light YA greek mythology reading this summer. Definately a great beach read.

About the Author(From Goodreads)

Josephine Angelini is a
Massachusetts native and the youngest of eight siblings.

She graduated
from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in theater, with a
focus on the classics.

6 Jun 2015

Sadly this was one of those weeks where life happened. So many things to get done and not much time or energy for reading left in the day, which did leave me very sad that I only managed to read one anthology but in this case quality not quantity. I really enjoyed the Summer in Snow Valley anthology just as much as I did when reading the first anthology, Christmas in Snow Valley in December. If you are looking for an easy beach read this summer this is definately a great pick up!

Twelve years ago Stella
and Jeanie vanished while picking strawberries. Stella returned minutes
later, with no memory of what happened. Jeanie was never seen or heard
from again.

Now Stella is seventeen, and she's over it. She's the
lucky one who survived, and sure, the case is still cloaked in
mystery—and it's her small town's ugly legacy—but Stella is focused on
the coming summer. She's got a great best friend, a hookup with an
irresistibly crooked smile, and two months of beach days stretching out
before her.

Then along comes a corpse, a little girl who washes
up in an ancient cemetery after a mudslide, and who has red hair just
like Jeanie did. Suddenly memories of that haunting day begin to return,
and when Stella discovers that other red-headed girls have gone missing
as well, she begins to suspect that something sinister is at work.

And before the summer ends, Stella will learn the hard way that if you hunt for monsters, you will find them.

2 Jun 2015

For
Piper Marks, the answer is simple. She’s determined to have her
photography rock the cover of National Geographic someday, and moving to
Clarkton, Iowa for her last year of high school is not going to stop
her. Even if her usual subjects have changed from bright lights and
skyscrapers to fields, cows…and more fields.

But when
photographer at the local paper quits in a huff, she steps into his
spot. Her new job keeps Piper busy capturing tackles, and zooming in on
first downs and end zone dances, not to mention putting her directly in
the path of varsity football star Les Williams IV. Her new friends warn
her off, but she can’t resist the pull she feels toward this mysterious
country boy. But this small town is keeping a secret, and it’s one that
could destroy any chance they have to be together.

It’s up to
Piper to decide what to do with the distorted truth. Can she risk
exposing her heart? It might be worth it, 'cause Les is about to change
her world from black and white to fully saturated color.

1.
If you could work with any other author, who would it be and why?

I really want to work with my friend Ella Martin. There’s a budding
idea

I’ve been tossing around. It’s just a matter of finding the time
to work out

the plot with her. We’ll get there though. Eventually.
2. What
would be a typical working day for you? When and where do you write?

Writing time is difficult to find. I work full-time and have a young
daughter

who is my world. Normally, I’m writing late in the evenings after
she’s gone

to bed. I have an office in my basement where I normally write. On

occasion, I’ll meet some friends at Starbucks. It’s nice to have
write-ins with

friends to keep my motivation high.
3. What is the hardest part
of the writing for you?

Finding the time. There are nights I am just too exhausted to write.
I have to

forgive myself from taking the night off. And that’s not easy for
me to do. ;)
4. When and why did you first start writing?

My love for writing started in junior high. I never gave up the
dream, but it

took me a long time to get to the point where I could focus on it. A
dream is

great, but it’s better if you work toward achieving it. If it
wasn’t for the birth

my daughter, I don’t know if I ever would have went for it. I
realized if I

didn’t encourage her to follow her dreams if I never followed mine.
And

here we are. 
5. How did you come up with the idea for
the book your book?

The idea for PIXELATED has been floating in my head since my senior

year of high school. My creative writing teacher showed us a “scene”
he

found inspirational, which at the time I thought was crap. It was a
row of

tractors in the school parking lot. The image stayed with me though
and

appears in the book.
6. Are you a big reader? If so, what are you
reading now?

I love to read! I’m currently reading City of Fae by Pippa DaCosta.
She’s

fabulous.
7. Do you have any advice for other aspiring writers?

Never give up. It’s your dream. Don’t let anyone take it from
you. Find a

critique group that knows the value of critiquing. It’s not meant
to bring you

Catching Caytie by Amazon Top Seller Cindy Roland AndersonOn
the night Caytie Holbrook intends to break up with her cheating
boyfriend, he blindsides her by announcing their engagement at a dinner
party. When Caytie discovers her father is in on the scheme, she runs
away from her home in Beverly Hills to hide out at her uncle’s ranch in
Snow Valley, Montana. While Snow Valley is a beautiful place, Caytie
only plans to stay until her twenty-fifth birthday when she’ll inherit a
trust fund her grandmother left her, allowing her to pursue her dream
to move to Italy. That is until she meets Jace McAllister, an incredibly
sexy—although somewhat grumpy—cowboy who threatens to disrupt her
plans.

Tin Foil Tiaras by Amazon Top Seller Jeanette LewisCameron
Elliott has come to Snow Valley to coach Annalisa Drake in the Miss
Snow Valley pageant, and prove to her demanding boss that she deserves a
place at the prestigious Westbrooke Agency. But Annalisa’s handsome and
protective big brother, Kyle, is determined to keep his sister from
becoming a reluctant beauty queen. As Cameron tries to win Kyle over,
Kyle insists some things are more valuable than a title and as crazy as
it sounds, Cameron might just believe him.

A Touch of Love by Amazon Top Seller Cami CheckettsAnnie
Stirland has endured a lifetime of teasing, embarrassment, and
isolation due to her speech impediment. When irresistible cowboy, Luke
Wilson, seems to be falling for her, she’s certain he’s too good to be
true. A tragedy involving his ex-girlfriend proves she’s right. What man
can resist sheltering someone they once loved? Annie knows she should
walk away, but Luke isn’t ready to give her up.

First Love by Amazon Top Seller Taylor HartJanet
Snow doesn’t expect to get caught in a full-blown make out session at
her brother’s wedding. Especially not with Michael Hamilton, the boy
she’d written off ten years ago. Even though they both agree to no
complications, Janet's not sure they can stick to it given their past.
After a trip to the hot springs, a helicopter ride, and a proposal, even
the most cautious single mother would start to wonder if true love
really is just about the timing. Now Janet has to make a choice—play it
safe or trust that her first love could also be her last.

Romancing Rebecca by Amazon Top Seller, Kimberley MontpetitRebecca
Dash loved spending her teen summers swooning over Jane Austin and
helping her aunt at the Starry Skies Bed & Breakfast in Snow Valley.
But as a recent college grad, she’d rather write sappy romance novels
than go out with guys that make her a nervous wreck. When a team of
fire-fighters set up camp on the lawns of the B&B and Captain Wade
catches her eye, Becca soon learns that there’s more to a
happily-ever-after than a flirty firemen with muscles the size of the
Montana hills.

Love in Light and Shadow by Amazon Top Seller Lucy McConnellMercedes
O'Shay has sworn off gorgeous men because they have a tendency to break
her heart. When she meets her new neighbor, Chet Bauer, she immediately
puts him in the Do Not Date category based on his well-defined muscles
and stunning blue eyes. But the more Mercedes learns about the cowboy
who reads classics and forges iron, the more she realizes the heart
doesn't see in black and white; it sees light and shadows.

MY REVIEW

I was going to do a review where I put a paragraph in about each and every story but after reading them what I had to say is pretty much similar so I have decided to do one 'larger' review at the end, here. I loved this anthology. I loved reading the first anthology in this series, Christmas in Snow Valley so I was very eagerly anticipating this one and seeing what characters I would come across.If I had to pick a favourite I would have to say it was the first book, Catching Caytie as that story made me laugh, cry and had great romance in it. I particularly liked the side character of Kellan in that story and watching his character evolve as the story went on. What I loved the most was the fact that each story was an 'easy read', I could just sit back, relax and enjoy the stories for what they are instead of having to concentrate too much and possibly lose momentum in the stories and also what great romance. There's nothing worse than reading a romance story and realising that it is just 'instant relationship' and there is no real build up in romance. In these stories, I could feel the romance and loved every minute of it. If you are looking for a great easy read to take to the beach, this anthology is one that you should not miss out on. You'll love it!